the Will are forged by him as to the subâ—rate matter that unto all the hatred of himself all the Lying Cursing Rapâ—ne Blood Cruelty and Confusion in the World he is the first â—over the reducer of it out of its bare potentiality into Act its Specifier and Predeterminer as to its Existence and mode of Being not only the Assyrians spoiling and taking the Prey Isa 10.6 but all his evil meaning 20.7 and his saying that by his Strength and Wisdom he had done it v. 13. both Habit and Act all that had any thing of Entity in it that nâ—t only the Power of Herod and the exercise thereof unto the taking of a Wife was from God But in specie and individuo that he took his Brother Philip's Wife rather than an other Woman he was indeclinably premoved of God and Efficienâ—ly Predetermined by him and so in all instances of natural Action This is it which I oppose and the which now commeth more directly to be Considered and Argued 1. The First Argument which I shall insist on for the confutâ—tion of the Doctrine aforesaid and in maintainance of the Position by me before laid down which is diametrically opposite to it is this It maketh God to be the Efficient cause or the Author of sin not a sinner for that he is above Law say some but of all that is so in man The consequence I know is denied by them whom I oppose yea and the thing disowned they will not affirm nor grant God to be the Author of sin nor do think that from what they assert it will unavoidably follow whatever odious Consequences we fasten upon an opinion in the way of Argumentation we take for grant the contrary Namely that they who do hold that Opinion do not hold that which we connect with it or that which we tell them will follow thereupon When I endeavour to convince a man of his errour by reducing him ad incommodum or absurdum to an inconveniency or absurdity I take it for Grant that himself accounteth it an absurdity which I would fasten upon him Or my Argument is to him lost If he agreeth not with me in that which I make Use of aâ— my medium to convince him and there is no man so perfect but he holdeth contradictions though he seeth it not or if he doth not with me more firmly adhere to the Truâ—h which I take to be contradictory to his Errour my Argument which procedeth ex concessis will not pinch him at all Here therefore they distinguish of the Physical Action and the Morality of it the Actiâ—n they say is of God and its Existence He it is that premoveth and by his transient Physical influence causeth and efficiently predetermineth men in and unto all their sinful Actions and is the first cause and determiner in all their Omissions that he specifieth and giveth its particular Individuation to every such numerical Action but for the anomie or aâ—axie of it it 's Irregularity wherein the formal nature of Sin consisteth its incoâ—formity to Law that is a privation it 's a non ens or nihil it hâ—th no Author or Efficient cause at all only a deficient cause or subject rather nor is caused The Action they say the substrate matter of Sin God causeth or effecteth not the Obliquity of it the Act not the sinfulness the former i. e. the Act they say is ens it hath an Entity or Being and ens bonum convertuntur it must necessarily therefore be good and have God for its Authour who is so of all that is good c. But surely ens bonum morale are not convertible terms every thing that is is not morally good and of Metaphysicks we are not disputing Laying aside therefore all Philosophical and Scholastical subtilties let us attend to the Scriptures and see whether we can find out what is Sin and whether it may be said to have any Author of it or no and if so what it is that denominateth any one such in the Language of the Holy-Ghost Sin is either Orginal or Actual Original is either that of Adam or of all mankind in him Rom. 5.12 which was Origo the first beginning and Spring-head of all sin Or the immediate Product thereof that which though it be not the first Sâ—n or Transgression yet is ab origine congenite or of the same Original with us and that is either private The loss or Want of something in debito subjecto that de jure ought to be in the Subject termed the Image of God Gen. 1.26 Ecc. 7.29 Col. 3.10 Or positive an Alienation or Dis-inclination to what the Law of God requireth and a biâ—ss and propension to what it prohibiteth Job 14.4 Psal 51.5 and 58.3 Gen. 6 5. Rom. 3.10 which is heightned by continued Acts Jer. 13.23 and this is the Source and Fountain of all other Sin Actual Sin is either of Omission or Commission The former is the subject's not exerting or not coming up to some particular Act which by the Law he stood obliged to The latter the Perpetration of some Act or the Doing of some thing which the Law of God forbids to be committed or done Luk. 11.42 The formal nature of Sin in abstracto is a Repugnancy to Law or Rule so the Apostle defines it a Transgression of the Law 1 Joh. 3.4 All Sin however Distinguished is such and for the same reason is Sin because Inconform to the Law of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Illegality it 's not the Object or Circumstance of an Act or Intention of the Agent in Acting that is the Rule or Measure of its Morality but the Act or Action so modified is Good or Evil as Conform or Inconform to Rule Rom. 4.15 Sin in concreto is a Peccant Habit Act or Omission against Law or Rule In it there is nothing more nor less to be considered but the Habit or Privation Act or Omission of the Law and the Habitude of the former to it The Law that is Good and Holy Rom. 7.12 it 's also index recti obliqui the Rule and Standard of what is Right and what Not. God is the Authour of That Man of the Habit or Act Deviant from it the Habitude or Relation of Sinfulness stante lege results from the former Act. The Formality God is the Authour of in some Sense he Constituteth the Law what Action shall be Good what Evil his Nature and Will giveth it so to be it 's of Him but the Existence of the Act or Action discrepant to Law is of Man God is not the Authour or Predeterminer of That he might not do it or was not Necessitated so to have done it Sin is sometimes in Scripture predicated of the Soul now depraved somtimes of its Faculties of the Understanding Will and Affections and sometimes of the Body its Instrument as the Subject and Efficient of it so it is of the Habit or Propension to Evil and Privation of Light and of
the contrary Inclination to Good whereof the Soul it self and its natural Faculties is the substratum the prime Subject of such Depravation and vicious Inclination and in like manner of all sinful Omissions or Non-agencies and of actual sinful Commissions the substratum or materiale the matter whereof is the act it self yea it 's denominated of thâ—m all in the Abstract Eph. 5.8 Rom. 8.7 ch 1.29 Let now this irregular warping of the Faculties this crookedness of the habitual Frame and Inclinations of the Soul and disconformity of its actions Isa 59.8 let it I say be what it will be in its precise nature ens reale rationis modus entis or modus modi entis still it cleaveth to and is affirmed of the Faculty Habit or Act whereof it is the Mode the Scriptures throughouâ— and he that determineth or is determined to an Act forbidden doth or is so also to the Sin or Evil of it in the Judgment of God or to the evil Action in concreto as well to its irregularity as to the Entity of the action which whilst the Law abides it can never really onely by a mentâ—l Precision or Abstraction be separated from Put but the Fundamentum and terminus and the relation results If a Man begets a Child the relation of Paternity cannot but â—ollow If the Souldiers do not keep their Râ—nks or obâ—erve not tâ—eir due and proper Motions the disorder of the Army reâ—â—lâ—s and noâ—e can help it The Winding up or loosing of a string or Physical undue Touch or motion of it will cause an Irregularity or Discord in Musicâ— and that by Resultancy from it So let the Habits and Propensiâ—ns â—f the Soul be wrong pointed and its natural Actions determâ—ned as to the Entity of them and manner of Being cross to the Law of God wâ—encesoever it be and its Harmony is deâ—troyed Sin results neâ—ther can the Guilt of it come any oâ—her way He that so acteth doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make Sâ—n Joh. 8.34 Sin it 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Transgression besides or agaâ—nst the Law 2 Pet. 2.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Impâ—ety 2 Tim. 2.16 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Deflection from a streight Line Rom. 5.14 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Aberration or Lapse v. 15. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Disobedience v. 19. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pravity Act. 3.26 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—edity or Impuritâ— Mat. 23.27 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wickedness Act. 8.22 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all Injuâ—tice or Deviation from the Rule of Righteousnâ—ss is Sin 1 Jâ—h 5.17 The Question is of what all this is Denominated what it is that whoever can justly be châ—rged therewith the Gâ—ilt of all that cleaveth to him Surely it 's somethâ—ng Reâ—l not Imaginary onely that it 's spoken of it 's as well of Habits as Privations of Actâ— as Omissions and hath an Efficient Cause and Real Foundation with the Entity whereof those Relative Respects are Identified and he that Causeth one Causeth both That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uâ—brâ—dled Concupiscence Rom. 7.8 or the Habitual Inclination of the Whole Man to what is Prohibited and Dâ—sclination to what is Commanded It 's termed in Scripture Sin the Body of Sin and Law of it Rom. 7.23 something Present Dwelling and Moving in the Subject v. 5.17 ch 8.3 Sometimes it 's said to Warre sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Reign or to Lord it this Non-ens as some will have it Let not Sin Reign in your Mortal Body that ye should obey it in the Lusts thereof Rom. 6.12 This our Catechizes teach to be a Corrupt Nature Inhering or Dwelling in us pondus a weight and an Operative Effective Principle an anomalous thing yet the fomes peccati the Source and Fountain of all Actual Tranâ—gression The Natural Habit or Inclâ—nation is quid reale something Real and Existent an Active Quality It 's the Soul the Form that Acteth but by the Habit it 's disposed to Act its Faculties and Habits or Dispositions are its Instruments of Action and concurre subordâ—nately thereunto If it Inclineth stands Bent or Determined towards what the Law forbids or be pointed repugnantly to Rule It 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Evil Complexion Habit or Coâ—â—â—itution of Soul a Leprosie Isa 1.6 a Running sore upon it Ps 38.5 it 's more than a Privatâ—on it 's a contrary Habit to Good a Plagâ—e on â—he Heart Hos 11.7 Inclinatio ad malum prohibitum reciprocanter to inclâ—ne to any Act or Object that God Prohibits is to Encline to Moral Evâ—l or Wickednâ—ss and such Inclination of Mind Will or Afflections or so modâ—fied and determined is Wicked and Sinfull the Entity of it is so moâ—ally not Physically so is the Miâ—d its self so Affected Act. 14.2 the Will Eph. 2.3 and Affâ—ctions Rom. 1.26 as well as that which proceedeth or cometh our of them For from within out of the Heart of Men proceed Evil Thoughts Adulteries c. saith our Saviour all these Evil things and defile the Man Mark 7.21 23. having Eyes full of Adultery 2 Pet. 2.14 So for Omissions and Commissions Omissions There is none that calleth upon thy Name that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee Isa 64.7 There is none that Vnderstandeth none that seeketh after God none that doth Good Rom. 3.11 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ingrateful 2 Tim. 3.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without Natural Affectâ—on v. 3. I was an Hungred and ye gave me no Meat In Prison and ye visited me not Mat. 25.42 All this is Impiety Sin or Unrighteousness By what thâ—n doth a Man Contract the Guilt of all but by a non agency nor non-exertion of some Physical Act which the Law of God some affirmative Precept requireth it results from it In like manner for Commissions They are all gone out of the way Rom. 3.12 Their Throat is an open Sepulchre With their Tongues they have used deceit c. v. 13. this is Sin and Wickedness The Question is whether Sin hath anâ— Efficient or Author or not Or if so what it is to be the Author of it Sin is the Transgression of the Law saith the Apostle 1 Joh. 3.4 But he that lieth carnally with another mans Wife or that takâ—th away the Life of an Innocent Person or uncondemned c. Transgresseth the Law Jam. 2.11 Ergò So to do is Sin The very natural Act is such Put but the Law and the Act and it results If ye have respect of Persons ye commit Sin and are convinced of the Law as Transgâ—essors v. 9. You are the Authours of it Hence such Actions receive a new denomination when Illegal The Natural Use of Woman is lawfull but that is not called Adultery So to take away the Life of man in some case but that is not termed Murder as before Jam. 2.11 All Eating and Drinking is not Surfetting and Drunkenness nor every taking of a Purse Theft nor saying Yea
they are Inviâ—cibly deâ—ermined to Evil or bent on it in the General or cannot do Good Man in Innocency he had perfect Good or spotlâ—ss Obedience and also Sin and Evil within his power both being made Mutabâ—e Man Restored and Manumitted by Grace hath imperfect Good compâ—red to the Original Law or Sincere Oâ—edience within his power and also Sin and Disobedâ—ence being on Earth defectible or not yet Confirmed though the Decrâ—e and Efficiency of God shall prevent that he sinneth not to Death Yet may Free-Will be denominated or affirmed of them all The one act as freely as the other the worst in sinning as the best in obeyâ—ng He acts freely that can act or not act what when and how he pâ—easeth in things which mâ—y be said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. in our power so doth the sâ—rvant at his Masters Beck Col. 3.23 where note by the way that to act voluntarily or freely and yet necessarily are consistent and may well stand together The Angels in Heaven they love God and serve him Voluntarily and Freely so shall the Sâ—ints in Glory and so doth man in his present state even in what hath a kind of natural Connexion with the Will determine himself Freely according to the Dictate of his Reason and Judgment A Rational a Voluntary and a Free Choice are Convertible Terms The Will acteth Freely not Necessarily as opposed to Volunâ—ary either contrariè by Coaction or Violence against its Elicit Inclination or negativè from a meer natural Necessity without Reason Bâ—t still it acteth Necessarily in some sense as the Will evermore doth when Reason hath once cast the Scale with necessity of Immutability in respect of the Event which opponitur possibili non esse is opposed to a Possibility not to be God's Supportation and Concurse presupposed or eventus contrarii of the contrary Issue or Event it can do no otherwise and tâ—at from the Potency or perfection of the Rational Faculty and Cognation that it hath with the Objâ—ct And the contrary is as true of Wicked and Unregenerate men they Act freely following the Dictate of their Reason and Judgment such as it is though Brutish Jer. 10.8 21. 55.17 thougâ— Carnal â—ensual and Deviliâ—h Jam. 3.15 Jer. 4.22 voâ—d of all natural Necessity or Coaction in their choice of Sin and Flâ—sh-pleasing Eph. 2.3 Yet do they Act Necessarily also so as that they cannot possibly Will or Do the Contrary without renewing grace Job 5.44.45 Rom. 2.5 and that ab intriseco from a Privation in their Mind Rom. 3.11 Eph. 4.18 and an Impotency or contraty Propension in their Will and Affections preponderating them to Evil though not sub ratione mali and to a Disrelish of true Holiness Rom. 8.5 7. which is languor aegritudo animi the Souls sickness and depravation of its Faculties the fruit of mans first Apostacy from God Job 14.4 though he be still habile subjectum a Subject capable of the Retrivement of God's Image into his Soul Col. 3.10 i. e. Man still with his natural faculties of Reason and Will and so Good is yet possible to him in some sense if God please to adapt him for it Eph. 2.10 In and about particular Acts agible within mans power and unto which he is not actually or virtually by a previous invincible Habit or Propension of Mind and Will predetermined lieth the Contingency and Evitability of Humane actions In such actions hath man a liberty of Contrariety or Contradiction in the Exercise and Specification of his Acts or of Indifferency accordingly as his Reason doth sway him He may and can Act or suspend his Act his Will containeth within its dominion a power and possibility unto contrary acts and effects what is future is yet evitable and that possible that is not future Man saith the Learned Davenant hath not onely potentiam in se liberam a faculâ—y in its self free or capable of freedom but liberum usum potentiae the free Vse or Exercise of it A wicked Man for instance can upon other Deliberation resolve to do otherwise than he doth which freedom is evident in Adulterers Thieves and all manner of Sinners who being resolved to Commit this or that Sin when they perceive some great Danger presently choose to abstain from it till fitter opportunity Cain Absalom Judas and others were not under a Necessity of committing those Sins whereof they are noted to be Guilty it was out of their free Election having a power whereby they might have abstained from them The Angels that fell notwithstanding the Decree of the Divine Will had a Possibility of Not-rebelling against God and a Sufficiency of Divine Grace given them to have preserved them so had Adam had they not abused it God's absolute prescience doth not take away the possibility of the contrary Action or Event no more doth his absolute decree to think that the decree of absolute Reprobation must leave men under a necessity of committing their several sins is a false Imagination as every mans Conscienee is able to witness so the aforesaid Author p. 116.199.328.344 whom I have the rather consulted for that he is instanced in by some and produced for a maintainer of God's Predetermination of mans will in the sense by them pleaded for Which himself termeth a controversy between the Dominicans and Jesuits with whose Metaphysical speculations our Protestant Divines love not to torture their brains Nor yet do I take all Extrinsick Predetermination to be Inconsistent with humane Freedom in Acting For it hath been before granted that such Predetermination of God is necessary unto the Conversion of any Sinner unto him though the Sinner is capable of doing something that in the Order of Gods appointment hath a tendency to it Prov. 2.3 5. Isa 64 7. and it lieth at the Door of any under the call of the Gospel that they are not converted and healed by God it 's their own fault Jer. 13.27 Mat. 25.29 and their heart will one day Reproach them for it Luk. 16.28 neither do we when we speak of an Irreversible Insuperable Irresistible Determination whether to good or evil Actions meane any more than such as cannot or rather shall not be resisted such as is efficaciously prevalent and never fruastrate Yet is the Liberty and Freedom of Co-operation in the Subject in such case no more than that of a Rational Spontaneity it containeth in it's own nature nothing of contingency or possibility of the contrary Event In Effectual calling the New Creation wherein God worketh something above and besides the Order and Course of second Causes in order to the new Biassing and Pointing the soul towards himself Heaven and Holiness whatever the Influence or Efficiency of God be on the soul or its faculties of Reason and Will or his manner of Operation whether it be by way of objective Proposal and Fixation on the mind Demonstrating the Object and Effectually setting home Truth to an immutation therein and turn of
or Nay Lyâ—ng but as the question is put Act. 5.8 the modification then of these natural Acts the Power whereof is from God Act. 17.28 the Specifying and Determining them this or the other way with their Relation to God's Law is that which giveth them both Name and Thing If a man â—ayeth Yea when by the Law of God he ought to say Nay it 's Lying and the physical Act Sin or Transgression To pour water and to Baptize in the Name of the Father Son and Holy-Ghost is no Sin yea may be Righteousness but so to do and say over a Beast can never be but Sin To Name the Word Devil is is not alwayes Sin But to Baptize a Chriâ—tian inâ—o his Name hath a moral Malignity in it that can never by the Wit of Man be separated from it but that he that determineth to the Act doth also to the Obliquity of it Hence it is that Men are said to hatch and contrive Mischief Isa 59.4 to do Wickedness Gen. 39.9 or Unrighteousness Lev. 19.15 Rom. 1.29 and to commit Sin Ja. 2.9 the Abstract for the Concrete this though it may not be Good Metaphysicks is found Divinity I am sure It 's meant of Acts oblique and thwarting Gods Law Termed a Working of Wiâ—kedness 2 King 21.6 It 's the Act or Substratum only that is meant or that Man doth when he is said to be the Authour or Worker of Sin and that he pleaseth himself in when he is said to take Pleasure in Unrighteousness 2 Thes 2.12 or that his Members are Serviceable to when he is said to yield them as Instruments of Unrighteousness Rom. 6.13 or that he repents him of when he is said to repent him of his Wickedness Act. 8.22 and beg pardon for it Psal 32.2 5. or that Men are Damned for when they are said to Receive the Wages of Unrighteousness And yet surely that is Sin Rom. 6.20 23. these things hast thou done Psal 50.21 And diverse Affection Sin hath predicated of it whereas non entis nulla est affectio It 's said to be Intended and Remitted some to be greater some lessâ—r Sins and Sinners Gen. 15.16 a Wonderfull and Horrible thing is Committed Jer. 5.30 and 23.14 it 's said also to leaven 1 Cor. 5.6 and its self to be purged out 2 Pet. 1.9 some to be overcome of it 2 Pet. 2.19 and others to overcome it Rom. 12.21 being aware of its deceit Heb. 3.13 What can all this and the like be affirmed of but of somewhat that hath Entity It 's the Material the Substrate matter or Subject the Illegal Habits or Operations of the Soul that is called Sin and the Body of it Rom. 6.6 Yet farther If sin be a non-ens Nothing Or hath no Efficient neither is Grace any thing nor hath it God for its Authour nor yet man This appeareth from the Rule of Contraries contrariorum eadem est ratio Sin and Grace Righteousness and Unrighteousness are opposed contrarily not privatively in Morals Sub habitu vel actione morali They are two Contraries meeting sometimes in the same Subjâ—ct and combating there Gal. 5.17 As Grace or Holiness is an Elective habit of the Mind and Will or an Act Imperated of it commensurate to the Law of God So is Vice or Sin in the Mind or Will a Habit or Act deflecting from the same Rule And in the Abstract the deflection opposed to commensuration is its Vitiocity or Sinfulness and the Will of man is the Efficient cause of it of Evil equally as of Good Errour hath its Radication in the Mind as well as Truth and to be Wise to do Evâ—l hâ—th as much of Entity in it as to do Good Jer. 4.22 Blindness Darkness or Ignorance is indeed nothing Positive If it be of what the Nature of man is Incapable of or was never Endowed with It 's but Simple Nescience a Negation only If of Natural things only the loss of an Endowment of Mind in the discerning of and Knowledge in and about things not Relating to Religion wherein yet Manonce had Understanding and was capable of It 's a Privation but no Sin or Moral Evil. If a Man becometh Ignorant or Nescient in or unto the compassing of what is by the Law of God forbidden It 's Metaphysical Evil if I may so term it a Privation of something that hath an Entity and with which transcendental Good the common Affection of Entity is Convertible but it 's Moral good Jam. 3.15 let not my Soul come into their Secret Gen. 49.6 Ignorance or Darkness in and aboâ—t the things of God and of the Spirit be it juris or facti of the Law or of the Adequation of the Act to it 1 Tim. 6.5 Isa 5.20 if of that which is due and was connate to man to know and Understand it 's a Privation viz. of that the Habit or Power whereof was once an Humane Endowment and the which he is a Subject capable of having again retrived by a Supernatural and Divine power and Perfective of man and its Moral Evil. The Soul or Mind of Man is the Substratum or Subject of it or that that is so deprived and being destitute of Light and Truth it 's ens moraliter Malum a Being ethically Evil a depraved Faculty Eph 4.18 and he that extinguisheth the Habit causeth the Privation and all the Evil that â—nsueth Rom. 1.28 2 Pet. 3.5 The Pravity or Sinfulness of the Soul or its Faculties by reason of that Privation is from the Law requiring the contrary Habit. The Formal Nature thereof is its discrepancy and repugnancy to Law or Rule and hath as much of Entity in it as when the fundamentum the Foundation of that relative Respect is quid positivum something positive as a Habit. And the reason of Sin is the same in Omissions and Commissions the Will is culpable in both alike either Efficiently or Deficiently and the Obliquity or Illegality of the one hath as much of positivity in it as of the other Neither hath Righteousness or Holiness the contrary Mode of Being any thing more of Entity as hath been said than Sin or Unrighteousness or is there any more of Efficiency to the one than the other Neither Sin nor Grace Piety or Impiety can subsist out of any Subject or hang in the Air inconcreto abstracto in that agree Harmony na Discord Order and Disorder Conformity and Disconformity Rectitude and Obiquity Righteousness and Unrighteousness have an Efficient Cause and Men are said as well to do one as the other if we may Credit the Scriptures 1 Joh. 3. 7 10. Lev. 19.15 Rom. 6.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Uncorruptness or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sincerity Tit. 2.7 which is as Salt that rendereth every Instance or Obedience Savoury hath no more of Positivity in it than the Contrary Deceit Corruptness Prevarication or Hypocrisie of which the former is the Negation without Hypocrisie Isa 3.17 1 Pet. 3.4 that is Upright in the Affirmative Yea one
and the same Act or Action every way alike Circumstantiated may and have received either Denomination sometimes that of Good or Righteous and then again of Sinful or Unrighteous upon the Alteration of the Law the Standard of Righteousness Josh 7. 20 21. and chap. 8.2 So it was with reference to the Ceremonial and Judicial Law after the Coming of Christ If in lineâ Physicâ the Jews kept their course Acted and did what before that they practised those same Actions were now Impious and Sinful that before were Pious and Good Shall we then think that the Goodness and Rectitude of the same natural Habits and Acts was ens and had an Efficient Cause when the Law was in force but yet that the Malignity and Obliquity of them was nihil after its Repeal and had no Cause at all what did they more in the One than in the Other its too Subtile for me to understand The Truth is he that is the Authour or Efficient of the Act is the Authour or Efficient of both Righteousness or Unrighteousness streight or oblique is but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Habitude of the Act and all its Circumstances to Law and he that Doth or Causeth the Act Doth or Causeth Righteousnâ—ss or Unrighteousness accordingly as the same Act is Conform or Inconform and Cross to the Law of God and that in a proper Sense or the Scriptures do never treat-of the one or the other properly at all Did not Solâ—mon King ' of Israel sin by these things Neb. 13.26 What hath been said may suffice for the Explication of the Scriptural Notion of Sin To reassume then our former Argument and reduce what hath been before iâ—sisted on to the Case in hand 1 As to Original Sin originans I mean that of Adam and ours in Him If our first Parents Inadvertency or Omâ—ssion of a due Exercise of Reason and Understanding if their Eating of the Forbidden Fruit if their Losâ— and Depravation of the Image of God in Knowledge and Light necessary to Conduct them unto God and Holiness or their Declining from God and Inclination and Propension to the Flesh-pleasing contrary to the Law of God was Sin then accordingly it followeth from our Adversaries hyyothesis that God must be the Author of Sin But the Antecedent is true Ergò the Consequent The Antecedent is proved Gen. 3.6 what is this that thou hast done saith God v. 13 17. 1 Tim. 2.14 Rom. 5.12 Col. 3.10 Nor can it be denied to be Sin The Consequent is evident in that they make God to be the first Cause and Predeterminer of Man unto all in every Branch thereof That Adam did not Advert Weigh and better Consider the Evil and Danger of Complying with the Temptation was they say from Gods withdrawing his Influence and Causation from him as often as man doth not Will or Act he therefore doth it not say they because God doth not determine him to it and that None-determination or Suspensation of God meerly of its self without any positive action inureth to the preventing of all Operation of the Creature They affirm that God did subtract or take away from Adam before his Fall that spotless Light and Primogenial Perfection of his Understanding wherein he was at first Created and and left him so denuded or stript to shift for himself that moreover God did Predefine his Lapse or Fall and that in Execution of his Decree he did Premove and Efficiently by his Physical Influx Predetermine his Will to the Eating of the Tree whereof he Commanded him not to Eat to chuse that rather than the other and that Indeclinably so as that it was Inevitable to him considered as he stood in Subordination to the aforesaid Decree and Efficiency of God and his necâ—ssary Dependence on him though in sensu diviso considering him or his furure Act without the Consideration of the Decree and Efficiency of God or his Dependence upon him in esse operari or secluding the Foreknowledge of God of all future Contingencies c. which is impossible they deny not but that he might possibly have stood and not have been so Predetermined by him or Caused to Fall either I say all that was not Sin nor Culpable or according to them God was the Author of his Sin or Transgression So in like manner 2 For our Personal Original Sin ortum I mean or originatum that which ab origine we bring into the World with us Job 14.4 if God be the Authour and Efficient of our Habits or Inclinations in the General and their Specifier and Determiner giving them their Biass that way they propend or go namely contrary to his Law then is he the Authour of Sin But according to them who go the way of Physical Predetermination he doth the former Ergò according to them he doth the latter also The Minor is their own assertion they say that not onely the power of Willing and the radical affections of Love and Hatred but their alienation from the Life of God the Habitual Pointing and Determining them Oblique and Cross to his Law to the Love of the Word and Flesh-pleasing and to the Hatred of Himself and Enmity to his Law both their Entity and Modification God is the prime Cause and Efficient of He from Eternâ—ty foresaw it and that in his Decree with which his Efficiency runs Parallel and Even in all and every Creature-effect all that hath Entity The Connexion or Consequence of the Major Proposition will not I suppose be Denied namely that the Habitual Dis-inclination of the Soul to Holiness or Propension and Inclâ—nation to Acts Discrepant to the Law of God such as the Hatred of God and aversâ—tion unto his Commands is indeed Sin or the Law of Sin Rom. 8.3.5 Iâ— then God be the Authour and Determiner of or unto that he is so of Sin The Case is still the sâ—me as to Actual Sin whether of Omission or Commission If God be the Cause of mens not Hearing the Word Reading Praying Omitting or not Exercising of this and the other act which his Law Commandeth and Oâ—ligeth them unto causa prohibens by his Suspending or Denying that Influence of his without which the Creature cannot move or act at all but is Determined to a Non-agency then is the Authour or is wholly in Cause of all Sâ—n against the affirmative Commands of his Law but according to our Adversaries in this point he is so Ergo. That the Omission of many Physical acts is Sin cannot be denied Mat. 5.42 But that God by his Non-operation doth Predetermine the Câ—eature Unâ—versally to a Not-acting is their constant Doctrine as â—o all Natural Acts nor onely as to Gracious or truly Pious acts the which we grant in a Sense since Man hath disabled himself Then by undeniable Consequence is God the Cause yea the Sole Cause of such Sins for Man doth nothing at all therein neither according to them can do nor ever could and that Common assertion
If he himself Indeclinably Predetermineth them to the very thing which he dehorteth them from and Worketh in them both to will and to do so as that they can do no otherwise No Man can form a Conception of God more repugnant to the Notions that the Scripture hath given us of his Nature and Properties If I mistake not Amos 2 11 12 13. Arg. 3. The former Hypothesis of Physical Predetermination It over-turneth the Doctrine of Original Sin And of its Traduction If on the one Hand God did substract his Gift from Adam before he Sinned and deprive him of that Light and Ability which he once had and without which he could no longer stand before any fault or forfeiture of his and so determined him to fall in Execution of his Decree as is sometimes said by what Rule should his Posterity be Obliged still to have that which though the Nature of Man was capable of it yet was never due to it and which God hâ—mself took away or why should it be termed Sin to want it when it 's by no fault of his that it 's wanting nor was it ever by God intended to be continued It must be a meer Negation no Privation Since there could not be debitum inessendi any due Obligation of having it if their Supposition be true No more than is on a Beast to Reason Shall the Lord and Master of the Family take the Candle out of the Room not the Servants Extinguish it and then make it an Offence that they are in the dark and challenge them for their not working or will it solve the matter to tell them that it 's a Privation Darkness a non-Entity and therefore he could not cause it So on the other Hand If that which is termed the Corrupt Nature dwelling in Man be ens as it is a Quality or Habit and all that hath Entity be the Workmanship of God as they say it is or else Man must have a Creative Power and also good why then do we call it sin and Original sin or if it be nihil a non-Entity how then doth it descend How is it Traduced Joh. 3.6 and said to be ours by real Inhesion and Contagion as the whole Church consesseth saith Davenant Arg. 4. It staineth the Glory of free Grace in the Pardon of Sin and casteth a Blemish upon the Whole of the Meditation of Christ Whaâ— Conviction can possibly possess the Mind of Man of the Riches of Gods Grace in the Pardoning of sin whilst it 's maintained that the abounding of sinful Actions not to say sin is as well from God the Efficient and Predeterminer unto them as the Superabounding of Grace in the Remission of them Rom. 3.7 and 5.20 What sense can abide upon the Soul of the Grace of Christ in his being made Flesh and bearing the Wrath of God for those Tranâ—gressions whereof himself as God was the Prime Efficient and the which man by his own Influence and Causation was Indeclinably Predetermined unto He that shall Cause or Determine another supposing him a Rational Agent and capable of such an Imprâ—ss freely and willingly to do that whâ—ch in the Issue will prove Rottenness in his Bones as Prohibited or Illegal Actions will do Job 20.11 Psal 38.5 will Receive little thanks for his Cure whatever Cost he may be at When himself caused the Disease and the which had he not done it there had been no need of a Remedy for it Arg. 5. If the Doctrine of our Adversaries be true What meaneth then the Combating of the Spirit of God against sin or Mens being said to grieve and to Quench the Spirit 1 Thes 5.19 it must according to thâ—â—r Hypothesis be God on both parts His own Counteraction in the Subject And if all the first motions of the Imagination all Distraction in Religious Duties all the vain Thoughts emerging out the Heart of Man in their Numberless Operations be from God as the first Mover and Determiner why then should Man be râ—quired at his Peril to dislodge them Jer. 4.14 What is it that he can do Or should he Enterprize the Eviction and Expulsion of the ataxie or Obliquity of them whilst that God himself keepeth the Entity of them in possession and in actual Operation Deut. 15.9 Arg. 6. It layeth the Axe to the Root of all Repentance for what is done and past It raseth the Foundation thereof and Excludeth the very Idea of it A Man may bewail Impreventable disaster but cannot prevent him of that which he could never have helped 2 Cor. 7.11 I appeal to the sense of any man living whether his Heart be wont to reproach him for the doing of that wherein he was no way wanting to himself or for that the which were it to do again must be done and could be no otherwise on no Account whatsoever within his Power now nor ever before If Man by the Necessity of his Being and from the Exigency of his Condition as a dependent Being cannot move save that way he is premoved and cannot but act that way that he is Predetermined or acted why then when he sees the Event should he wish it were Undone and Repent him that he did it or not rather that God did it if that be true Repentance is not founded in the Obediential Subjection of the Creature namely that God could have caused him to do otherwise or barely in the Capacity of the Subject to receive such an Impress from the first Cause but on the Evitability of the Fact or Possibility of the contrary from a Principle Intrinsick and Connate to himself Yea who or where is the man that dare go to God in Prayer with such a Notion in his head and hold to it that he is not to Confess that he could have done more Good and omitted more Evil than Eventually he hath Neh. 9.16 17 26 29. Ezra 9.10 14. had not David just Cause to Repent him of his Lye that he told to Abimelech 1 Sam. 21.2 and to acknowledge it a preventable Act which is the Sole aggravation of Sâ—n and true Reason of it though all Sin is not now Preventable as some is though I know not why or how he should so do were it true which is by some Affirmed that in linea physicâ to the Entity of the Act he was Predetermined of God to speak every Word and Syllable that he did whereof there was never a one true equally as in the using of his Tongue in the praâ—sing of his name Arg. 7. It leaveth not the least Foundation whereupon to bottom Gods Judicial Process against Man in the Day of Judgment To resolve mans Damnation into meer Dominion and Sovereignty is abhorrent to God and Cross to all Scripture Nor is there any thing more Repugnant to the Notions of Justice and Righteousness which are the Attributes of God to be Displaied towards all that shall then be Cast or Periâ—h Rom. 3.5 2 Thes 1.5 than that he should be thought to Adjudge